Three Men Jailed For Life Over Execution-Style Revenge Murder Of Connor Brookes

Three men jailed for life after gunning down Connor Brookes in a brutal Walsall revenge attack linked to the previous killing of Bailey Atkinson.

Three men have been jailed for life for the murder of Connor Brookes, who was shot dead in a planned, retaliatory attack in Walsall last summer.

Jake Sanbrook, 23, Byron Sellick, 20, and Julian Falconer, 19, were convicted of murder, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Each was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 29 years.

Connor Brookes, 20, was ambushed while sitting in a parked van with a friend on Well Lane at 4.50pm on 8 July 2023. A stolen black Ford Focus pulled up beside them. Within seconds, a shotgun was fired once from the rear passenger seat. Connor, in the driver’s seat, was killed instantly. His friend was struck in the shoulder but survived.

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The Focus fled at speed and was driven to Wyrley Lane, where the sawn-off shotgun was dumped in a bin bag. The vehicle was later found abandoned with traces of gunshot residue and DNA linking it to Sanbrook and Falconer.

Detectives from West Midlands Police quickly identified the attack as an act of revenge. Less than 15 minutes earlier, the same car had been involved in another shooting nearby on Stephenson Avenue. CCTV, phone records, and forensic evidence established the group’s movements and intent.

Connor’s murder was linked to the killing of Bailey Atkinson in 2023. His brother, Patrick Brookes, had been convicted of that crime. Sanbrook, Sellick, and Falconer were known to be close to Atkinson. Police recovered images and digital content on their phones referring to his death.

A fourth man, Samuel Danks-Petty, 20, was sentenced to three years after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice by helping the killers evade arrest after the shooting.

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Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell, said the attack was “intentional, cruel, cowardly and unjustified,” and that while the identity of the gunman remains unknown, all three acted with a clear and shared purpose.